George Clooney recently opened up about Matthew Perry’s challenges following his time on ‘Friends,’ citing his battle with alcohol and drugs.
In a conversation with Deadline, the ‘ER’ actor reflected on Perry’s dream to star in a sitcom, a dream that came true when he landed the role of Chandler Bing on ‘Friends’ in 1994. Despite achieving this milestone, Perry faced inner turmoil due to his addictions.
Clooney, 62, shared that Perry expressed his desire to be on a regular sitcom, thinking it would bring him happiness. However, landing one of the best sitcom roles didn’t provide the joy or peace Perry had hoped for.
“We just knew that he wasn’t happy and I had no idea he was doing what, 12 Vicodin a day and all the stuff he talked about, all that heartbreaking stuff,” Clooney said
The actor revealed they worked together during that time but had no insight into Perry’s struggles. While Clooney was on ‘ER’ and Perry on ‘Friends,’ two of the most popular shows of the ’90s, Perry battled his personal demons.
Reflecting on Perry’s confessions in his memoir, ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,’ Clooney expressed his surprise and highlighted the misconception that success and wealth automatically bring happiness.
“And it also just tells you that success and money and all those things, it doesn’t just automatically bring you happiness. You have to be happy with yourself and your life.”
Recalling his initial impression of Perry, Clooney reminisced about knowing him since he was 16, describing him as a genuinely funny and remarkable individual.
Perry, known for his role on ‘Friends,’ tragically passed away at 54. His autopsy report revealed his cause of death to be a lethal combination of ketamine and buprenorphine, used to aid opioid addiction and manage pain.
Also Read: Decoded: Tracing The Roots Of The Feud Between Will Smith And Eminem